The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-386830 filed on Dec. 20, 2000 the entire contents thereof is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for monitoring noise, and more particularly to a noise monitoring system capable of transmitting an actual sound of the noise when the noise level measured becomes a regulation standard.
2. Description of Background Art
One of the environmental issues deeply concerned with everyday life is the problem of noise. Noise includes various noises such as factory noise, establishment noise, construction noise, and traffic noise. Noise levels are regulated according to a regulation standard as defined in a noise regulation, for example, by the Noise Regulation Law for the preservation of living environment and the protection of health.
Accordingly, a party that has built a factory or establishment having a facility generating a considerable noise, for example, in a noise regulated area, would conventionally takes measures against the noise by periodically measuring the noise level on the boundary of a site of the factory or establishment and reducing the noise (noise level) at a noise source when the noise level becomes higher than the regulation standard. A basic measuring method for noise is defined in Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) Z8731, for example.
In measuring the noise levels at a plurality of positions on the boundary of the factory or establishment site, a maintenance worker (managing person or measuring person) goes directly to each measuring position and then measures the noise level at each measuring position by using a noise meter (a precise noise meter complying with JISC1505) to check whether or not the noise level measured is higher than the regulation standard and to reduce the noise if the noise level measured is higher than the regulation standard. Further, the noise is recorded for later verification as required.
However, in such a measurement method wherein the maintenance worker goes to each measuring position, there is a problem that the burden on the maintenance worker becomes remarkably heavy in the case that the measuring position is located at a distant place or in the case that many measuring positions are located.
In such cases, the following system is utilized. A noise meter having a communication function is located at each measuring position, and a control center or the like communicates with each noise meter to obtain a noise level measured by each noise meter. When this noise level becomes higher than the regulation standard, a warning sound is generated, for example, to inform the maintenance worker of this condition.
In this system, however, the maintenance worker can hear the warning sound, but cannot hear the actual sound as the noise. That is, the maintenance worker cannot identify the noise. To identify the noise, the maintenance worker must go directly to the measuring position, so that there is a great burden on the maintenance worker. Further, a long time period is required until the noise is identified, so that any countermeasures against the noise cannot be immediately examined.
Further, some noise source generates a noise whose level temporarily exceeds the regulation standard. In this case, although the maintenance worker hears the warning sound and goes to the measuring position, the noise from such a noise source does not always continue to be generated, and the noise cannot yet be identified. Accordingly, the noise cannot be recorded for later verification.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a noise monitoring system which can transmit an actual sound (noise) when the noise level becomes higher than a regulation standard, thereby identifying the noise.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a noise monitoring system including at least one noise detecting unit and a noise monitoring unit adapted to communicate with the noise detecting unit. The noise detecting unit includes a measuring device for measuring a noise level of an actual sound. A noise level transmitting device is provided for transmitting the noise level measured by the measuring device to the noise monitoring unit. An actual sound transmitting device is provided for transmitting the actual sound according to a request from the noise monitoring unit. The noise monitoring unit includes determining device for analyzing the noise level transmitted by the noise level transmitting device of the noise detecting unit and determining whether or not the noise level is higher than a regulation standard. A device is provided for requesting the noise detecting unit to transmit the actual sound when the determining device determines that the noise level is higher than the regulation standard. A sound generating device is provided for generating the actual sound transmitted by the actual sound transmitting device of the noise detecting unit.
With this arrangement, when the noise level becomes higher than the regulation standard, the actual sound as the noise is transmitted by the actual sound transmitting device, and the transmitted actual sound is generated by the actual sound generating device such as a telephone receiver or a speaker. Accordingly, a maintenance worker need not go to the measuring position and can immediately identify the noise.
Preferably, the noise monitoring unit further includes a recording device for recording the actual sound transmitted by the actual sound transmitting device of the noise detecting unit.
With this arrangement, when the noise level at the measuring position becomes higher than the regulation standard, the actual sound of the noise can be recorded by the recording device.
Preferably, the noise detecting unit further includes a backup power supply.
With this arrangement, even in the case where the measuring position is set at a position where the power for operating each noise detecting unit cannot be supplied or in the case that the power supply to each noise detecting unit is stopped because of a power failure or the like, the power can be supplied from the backup power supply to each noise detecting unit.
Preferably, the noise detecting unit further includes a moving device for making the noise detecting unit movable in a given area.
With this arrangement, each noise detecting unit can be easily moved.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a noise monitoring system including at least one noise detecting unit and a noise monitoring unit adapted to communicate with the noise detecting unit. The noise detecting unit includes a measuring device for measuring a noise level of an actual sound. A noise level transmitting device is provided for transmitting the noise level measured by the measuring device to the noise monitoring unit. An actual sound transmitting device is provided for transmitting the actual sound according to a request from the noise monitoring unit. The noise monitoring unit includes a determining device for analyzing the noise level transmitted by the noise level transmitting device of the noise detecting unit and determining whether or not the noise level is higher than a regulation standard. An information sending device is provided for sending at least information that the noise level is higher than the regulation standard and information on the noise detecting unit that has detected the noise level higher than the regulation standard when the determining device determines that the noise level is higher than the regulation standard. The noise monitoring system further includes a device for requesting the noise detecting unit to transmit the actual sound. A sound generating device is provided for generating the actual sound transmitted by the actual sound transmitting device of the noise detecting unit. A recording device is provided for recording the actual sound transmitted by the actual sound transmitting device of the noise detecting unit.
With this arrangement, when the information sending device in the noise monitoring unit sends at least the information that the noise level is higher than the regulation standard and the information on any one of the noise detecting units that has detected the noise level higher than the regulation standard, the device (e.g., PHS) for requesting the specified noise detecting unit to transmit the actual sound calls the actual sound transmitting device (e.g., PHS) in the specified noise detecting unit to establish the communication between these device. Accordingly, the maintenance worker can hear the actual sound as the noise from the requesting device. Further, the actual sound can be recorded by the recording device such as an MD recorder.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.